Israeli strikes killed at least nine Palestinians in Gaza as the nearly 15-month war entered a new year, according to AP News.
One of the strikes hit a house in the Jabaliya area in the north of the enclave. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that seven people were killed, including a woman and four children, with at least a dozen others wounded.
The second strike targeted the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. A woman and a child were reportedly killed in the strike.
Israel’s air and ground offensive killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. However, the Israeli military argues that it is only targeting militants. It also blames Hamas for civilian deaths, as militants often hide in densely populated areas.
The war caused widespread destruction and displacement of about 90 per cent of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million. Hundreds of thousands of people live in tents on the coast as winter brings frequent downpours and nighttime temperatures dip below 10 degrees Celsius (50 F).
The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and capturing about 250. Nearly 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are presumed dead.
